Willie Mays

[Patagon98]

I grew up on Long Island in the 50's. Together with two friends I would play stick ball in the street. Our alter-egos were Mays, Mantle, and Snider. There was always an argument over who got to be #24 for the day though. The best for sure.

 

[vols 30]

Played 24 years. Only hit into 45 double plays. That's hard to believe.

 

[vol66]

Played 24 years. Only hit into 45 double plays. That's hard to believe.

Wow! That’s a thing, I didn’t know that.

 

[BigOrangeMojo]

Was having this discussion with @NorCalVol67 in another thread but Mays and Aaron were 1 or 2 all time.

Look at Trout, Griffey, and Mantle. Those guys were great CF and was washed by early 30s....

Mays was still good there close to 40.

 

[Pappy]

I grew up on Long Island in the 50's. Together with two friends I would play stick ball in the street. Our alter-egos were Mays, Mantle, and Snider. There was always an argument over who got to be #24 for the day though. The best for sure.

Ted Williams was mine! Even after he slung that bat into the air that hit a lady fan

 

[knoxvol52]

Watching SportsCenter last night and Jackie Robinson's daughter narrated a great story about Willie.

Best part when she said in New York when all 3 teams were there it was all about Mickey, Willie and Duke Snider which one was best. Years later after retiring all 3 were together and Mickey turned and said Willie you were the best, Willie cried.

 

[farmdogvol]

First Jerry West, now the Say Hey Kid. My childhood heros are taking a big loss this week.

 

[cobbwebb0710]

For those of us old enough to care, the greatest baseball player of all time died today. I only saw him play once, but I count myself lucky.

I feel cheated that I never got to see him play.
As long as baseball is being played, Willie Mays will live on.

 

[Woodrow Call]

Best ever. I was 11 when he played for the Mets. He wasn't what he was in his prime, but having him return to NY where he started was a big deal. There will never be another one like him.

 

[TAF]

 

[TAF]

 

[CAVPUT]

 

[ArdentVol]

5-10 and 170 pounds
and from 1954 to 1966 he averaged 40 HRs (518 in those years) and swiped 270 bases, hit 315 and averaged 117 runs and 109 RBI.

In that span he played an average of 154 games a year at a time when a season was not 162 games until the 1960s. He was HBP an average 2 times

 

[ArdentVol]

For those of us old enough to care, the greatest baseball player of all time died today. I only saw him play once, but I count myself lucky.

the same

six of us drove from NC to Atlanta while we were in school.
we sat in CF

 

[CAVPUT]

5-10 and 170 pounds
and from 1954 to 1966 he averaged 40 HRs (518 in those years) and swiped 270 bases, hit 315 and averaged 117 runs and 109 RBI.

In that span he played an average of 154 games a year at a time when a season was not 162 games until the 1960s. He was HBP an average 2 times

That generation was simply a tougher breed.

 

[njvols]

two of the greatest ever! I'd listen to Vin Scully talk about grass growing. Put him and John Ward in the "best of best" category on story telling without having it seem scripted.

 

[txbo]

Un-freaking-real!
A big part of my childhood just passed. RIP

 

[volunator]

Bought these off QVC between 30 and 40 years ago.

 

[PEPPERJAX]

For those of us old enough to care, the greatest baseball player of all time died today. I only saw him play once, but I count myself lucky.

Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to see Mays in person. However, I started playing baseball at about age 7 and stopped around 16. Hands down the greatest player to have ever stepped on a diamond. His legacy will live on forever. My papaw gave me a 1958 WM topps card years ago before he passed. Thankfully, it is still in pristine condition today. RIP good sir.

 

[Vol4gzus]

I've still got Say Hey Kid baseball cards from 1961 and later when hung on a little long with NY Mets. Never forget the over the shoulder catch...

 

[tennrich1]

Willie was awesome to watch. As a child, he was one of my favorites among many others. As great as Willie was…there’s 4-5 others in his same boat who we could declare the GOAT. Thanks Willie Mays for the memories. I heard Willie relate a story the first time he met Bob Gibson away from the stadium. Gibby was wearing glasses and Mays said that scared him to death that someone who threw as hard as Gibby did actually needed glasses (Gibson didn’t wear them during a game when he first hit the bigs)

 

[BearBryant]

For those of us old enough to care, the greatest baseball player of all time died today. I only saw him play once, but I count myself lucky.

He was/is the greatest. My first favorite player, probably 1963 or 1964. This was when professional sports were real sports, no drug enhancement Home Runs, no chest pumping ego maniacs. The best pitchers actually pitched 9 inning games. College Baseball is about the last sport worth watching. But now that College Sports is owned by the illuminati, it will deteriorate rapidly into the cesspool of money, money, money.

 

[n_huffhines]

 

[n_huffhines]

That generation was simply a tougher breed.

....or they were hitting 85 mph fastballs

 

[lukeneyland]

I literally said to my Dad that Ensley’s catch into the wall was better than Willie’s. Poor man died shortly after. What a ball player he did so much for getting black people into the game. God Bless him